(Special Report) - Unlike previous years at CES, when everyone was trying to dethrone the iPod with their "iPod Killers," the environment was very different this year. There were no iPod Killers, and companies like Creative, SanDisk and the like were realistic in their approach. No more inflated promises, self-congratulatory comments and Apple's demise. They confirmed the situation heads on, and made appropriate comments that were easy to swallow.

In our interviews, they all chimed in and declared iPod the ultimate winner, but said they were working on their own products for people that focused on cheaper prices (true) and better audio quality (we agree). See, they could've sounded so sincere last year and the year before that. But hey, at least the sentiment was authentic this year. Good for them!

Now with iPod out of the way, it's time for the iPhone to replace it. Others, such as handset makers, said they were planning to take on the iPhone, and how incomplete the iPhone is. See, the same old attitude, just like what we saw from music makers when iPod entered the market. No worries, though. If the iPhone is the next hit in Apple's product portfolio, we give handset makers a couple of years before they get sober as well.

All in all, Apple can rest easy and would be glad to know that its core competitors (other than Microsoft, of course) are off its tail... or at least they are really good at making us think that. As far as know now, you can say goodbye to iPod Killers of the future, as there will be none.